


Warm as the sun

by Nearmoon



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Childhood Memories, Family, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nearmoon/pseuds/Nearmoon
Summary: On a sunny day in summer while the whole town is excited for an upcoming festival, young Princess Yona gets lost and meets a mysterious boy. His hair is like sunlight, his eyes mirror the sky - why does it feel as if she knew him?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 55





	Warm as the sun

Bright sunlight flood through the town, let it's red roofs shine cheerfully. The blue summersky stretched itself over the kingdom up to the horizon. A warm breeze was to be felt, a shallow wind, which gently stroke one's skin. The cheer of summer pulsed within lively waves trough Kuuto.

Nervously Yona looked around. The young princess stood midst a laughing crowd, overwhelmed by the heat and the voices. Colors, words everywhere, too much to handle. She felt dizzy. 

Up until now she never had seen that much people in one place. Her only relations to the outside world had been her father, king Il, who kept her away from big events, and her friends Soo-won and Hak, who defended her or sometimes even told stories from what it was like not being locked up in a castle. But now she was alone, alone in this huge town, which simply overlooked her in the joy of the upcoming fiest.

 _Just why did I leave the castle?_ , Yona whimpered in her mind. It had been supposed to be a good idea to sneak past the guards and into the exciting crowd. It had been supposed to be fun to mix herself among the people and breathe in the sweet smell of cherry blossoms. How stupid she had been. No one would find her here. She was all alone, a four year old on her own with tears in her eyes, lost in a noisy crowd. _Hak! I need you! Please come!_

Disoriented and nothing but the hems of the citizen's clothes before her eyes the girl staggered through the streets, desperately looking for help. Everyone would be fine, even scary uncle Yuhon. The fear lay on her chest like a stone. Breathing was nearly impossible.

_I just want to go home!_

Suddenly someone grabbed her sleeve. Astonished Yona raised her gaze and looked into the dark eyes of a huge man, who smiled friendly. His black hair hung in his face quite messy, his unusual simple but still noble clothing identified him as a citizen from the earth tribe. She stared at him with round eyes.

„Did you get lost, sweet girl?", the man asked in a gentle voice. She simply was able to nod while a cloud of uncomfortableness grew in her. The stone on her chest seemed to get heavier with every anxious breath she took.

„Then come with me", the man said and began to drag her through the crowd, „I'll bring you back home." _But he doesn't even know where home is..._

Her father's words came to Yona's mind, not long after the assassination of his queen, her beloved mother. „ _The royal family lives in constant danger, that's why you can't be alone even for a short while, Yona. There are many bad people in this world who want to kidnap or kill you just because you are my daughter. Always stay alerted. I don't want to lose anyone else."_ Then he had kissed her on the forehead, so full of sadness, so full of love. At the memory her view blurred once again. _Bad people who want to kidnap me..._

Suddenly she found her voice again. „No! Let me go!", she yelled hoarsely and tried to escape the man's tight grip, but he clasped her wrist like a hawk it's prey. Wasting all her strength she started to cry anew, felt the hot tears dripping on her dress. The people around her didn't seem to notice. They were too caught up in their naive joy of pure living.

Hysterically she pulled and tugged and shook herself but the man just looked at her unimpressed. In his eyes the friendliness had made room for coldness, icy coldness that, despite the warmth of the weather, sent chills down Yona's spine. For a few trembling heartbeats she couldn't move.

„Now come on, stupid brat", the dark haired growled in a grim voice, „fighting back is pointless." Yona's heart was a thunder in her ears. _Hak, Soo-won, Father, Mundok!,_ her mind screamed in terror, _anyone! Save me!_

The fear overtook her whole body. Like icecold flames it shot trough her blood, let her veins freeze in horror, her legs tremble. She couldn't hold back the tears.

In this moment another man - no, a boy - appeared next her. With a calm smile he lay a hand on the dark haired's shoulder and caused him to turn around, his face seemingly angry; in his gaze blazing a devouring fire of rage.

With round eyes Yona looked up to the boy. His hair, almost golden like the sun, was untamed and frizzy, only held back by a green ribbon. Blue like the sky, blue like the sea were his eyes. They radiated a warm light, as if he could love everyone and everything in this world. Because of his worn out, baggy clothes and long scarf, which had the same color as his headband, it was difficult to determine his stature but she could see that he was almost a head smaller than the man. Still he smiled at him without any fear.

„Hello mister", he said. His voice let Yona's mouth turn into a smile and made her heart beat in a more calm rhythm. Warm, so warm... „It's nice you care that much about lost children, but apparently that's my little sister you're holding there, and I'd like to take her back home." 

The man's face turned even darker than the night of Queen Yakshi's death had been. His grip tightened, felt like burning heat on her wrist. „You are no siblings", he growled and nodded in the direction of the girl, „her hair is of a flaming crimson, her clothes noble. She's obviously the princess and I'm going to take her where she needs to be. You..." Scornfully he looked down at the boy, „are just a poor pedler, so stop fooling with me and leave before I get inpatient."

The boy just tilted his head. A wide unimpressed smile appeared on his face.„I really don't know what you're talking about, Mister", he said, „this can't be the princess; my family adopted her a few years ago as we found her in front of our house. And because of my clothes in comparison to hers..." He scratched his head laughing embarrassed, „I haven't had the chance to change my working clothes yet. I didn't want to get my good robes dirty while cleaning and cooking for our guests tonight. We'll throw a huge party, just like the whole town..." He seemed to think for a moment, then his face brightened even more. „Hey mister, you seem pretty lonely! If you want you can join us tonight for dinner, my parents love meeting new people!" He clapped in his hands, seemingly not having a care in the world. But at the same time his blue eyes met Yona's violet ones, serious and dark, warned her not to speak. She stayed silent. 

The man just snorted. „Tell your lies to someone else, brat", he said and turned around, wanted to drag Yona away again, as the boy stepped in his way. In one heartbeat the smile fell off his face, made room for a almost deadly glare, staring at him like a cat at a helpless bird. Warningly. Coldly. Instinctively the man backed away from the burning eyes. 

Demanding the boy held out his hand. „Let her go", he said, the voice thrilling like a blizzard in winternights, „I wouldn't recommend discussing with me, especially not about her. I may look weak, but I promise to you, hurt her, and you'll never be able to hurt anyone else again." The man's eyes widened. Without reason fear grew in him like a climbing plant, going from slight worry to overwhelming terror. He stared into sharp eyes and saw his death in them. His blood seemed to freeze in his veins. He maybe hesitated for two heartbeats, then he snorted again and let Yona's wrist go. His legs trembled. Without saying anything else he turned around and disappeared into the crowd, feeling the terrifying glance burning into his soul.

To Yona, the boy now smiled once again. The sun returned back in his face. Amazed, but not afraid, she looked up to him. On his ribbon there hung a golden amulet, bedazzling her eyes, and she felt the strong urge to touch it.

The boy took her hand. His grip was warm, gentle. The way his fingers squeezed hers reminded her of Soo-won, and yet it was different. His touch sent a wave of love and secureness through her bones. Instinctively she felt save in his presence.

„Does the little miss want to go home?", he asked and grinned down at her. Yona couldn't help but smile back. For a brief moment the world seemed more brightly, more lovingly, and she nodded.

Taking smooth steps, the boy shoved himself through the crowd, in the direction they originally came from and mindfully avoided blocking other people's ways. Yona followed him trustfully. Fascinated she observed him from behind, how the wind played with his sunhair, how his slightly teared sleeves rustled with every step, how the golden amulet dangled around. Her heart glowed. It felt as if she already knew him, as if she already had met him somewhere... But where?

„Hey", she said quietly. The boy turned around. His eyes shimmered curiously, but still they seemed to hide so much, like a lake underneath a layer of cold ice. Amazement trickled trough Yona's small body. „Who are you?"

The boy simply smiled. „Just a traveller, don't mind me."

Yona blinked. „No", she said, „you saved me from the evil man. I have to thank you and pay you back for it, that's what father says." Her lips pressed together in a stubborn way she leaned forward. „One must thank the people who save them."

The boy didn't respond for a long time but looked at her, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Yona felt hot. „Your existence is thank enough, little miss", he finally said quietly. His words almost got drowned by the noise around them. A inexplicable expression appeared in his eyes which Yona couldn't read. She saw many things in other's eyes, deep sadness in her father's after her mother's death, empathy and warmth in Soo-won's as he fell asleep next to her, boredom in Hak's, anger in Mundok's. But this, this was new, a mixture of grief and joy and peace and tiredness, like a stream whirling in endless blue. It confused her.

The boy now remained silent and she didn't asked further, simply let herself be dragged through the crowd, looking at his back. The golden light he seemed to radiote almost bedazzled her. Never she had met someone so warm.

From one moment to the other the castle came in sight. Excited Yona widened her eyes and walked faster until she almost ran. The boy chuckled. Fighting herself through the mass of people she often stepped on her dress but always was being chatched. His arms felt skinny and weak underneath his robe, and yet they promised eternal protection. Without thinking about it she knew, no one could hurt her while he was there, an she felt a bit like flying after realizing that. Her eyes laughed.

Out of breath she arrived at the gate. The guards stared at her in shock, immediately alerting someone, so no minute later Yona was being held in her father's arms. Tears ran down his face, wettend her cheek. Relieved she clung her hands into his robes. „Yona", he sobbed, „I'm so, so glad you returned... I thought I lost you as well... I..." His words died on the top of his tongue.

Ignoring the surprised looks on the passing civilian's faces, now Hak and Soo-won approached as well. Her cousin's innocent eyes swam in tears and he pulled her into his arms while Hak just stood there, watching her bored as always. „You got me in a lot of trouble, princess", he said in his typical sarcastic voice, „Gramps told me to keep a eye on you and beat me almost to death because you ran away." He yawned. The tremble in his shoulders still didn't went unnoticed by Yona, likewise the strange shimmer in his eyes.

After everything and everyone calmed down a little, King Il lay a hand on his daughter's head and looked nervously at the crowd of people that developed around the gate, whispering and staring. „Come", he murmured quietly, „let's go back into the castle. We don't want to get too much attention." He tried to step back, Yona next to him, but she refused to move from her spot. „Wait!", she cried a bit too loud, „I still need to say Goodbye!" Il frowned so she explained. „The boy who helped me! I was lost and he showed me the way back!" Confused her father looked at her. Yona turned around.

„You have to pay him, fa-", she abruptly fell silent. Disbelievingly her bright eyes wandered around, looking each civilian in the face, searching for sunny hair, but all she saw were robes colored in red and pink. A strange feeling of desperation, sadness, grew in her stomach. Where were the skyblue, oceanblue eyes? The golden warmth? The shimmering amulet? She frowned. No matter how much she kept watching, she couldn't find her savior underneath all the people. The wind stroke her face, would soon wash away every memory of that day.

And the boy was gone.

His name she didn't learn until twelve years later as her world was abandoned by every ray of sunlight.

**I apologize for every mistake in grammar or spelling, English isn't my first language. The characters don't belong to me.**


End file.
